Lyrics from

CITY OF CONSTANT RAIN (1986)
Day in day out there is rain, there is rain
Most days I have no doubt
tomorrow's gonna bring the same
Men in the streets, girls in the shops,
sipping coffee they speed to their jobs
Cause there's no substitute for the pain...
Lifestream rivers keep flowing...
In the city of constant rain

I had a girl, now she's gone
I know that the flame lives on
One day this heart 's gonna mend
I guess I'm gonna have to look again
But sometimes I feel so down and low,
it hurts so much to let go
And there's no substitute for the pain
Lifestream rivers keep flowing...
In the city of constant rain

I know there's got to be a way,
I'm talking bout a brighter day
One time I can step out
and see something but these clouds....
and the constant rain (Rain) Let it rain...

I know it helps things grow and keeps things green
but sometimes I just want to scream
And there's no substitutes in the game
Lifestream rivers keep flowing...
In the city of constant rain

I hope I can find out soon, what it is I'm gonna do
I keep looking up to the clouds
I need a little sun to help me forget about
this constant rain (Rain)

Rain Rain in my city (Every night)
Rain rain constant rain (Every day)
Rain Rain in my city (On my window pane)
In the city of constant rain (Let it rain!)
Rain Rain in my city (It's raining it's pouring)
In the city of constant rain
In the city of constant rain

THE LIGHT (1990)

The winter moon is shining through the mist,
snow drifts under my feet
Shuffling down a windswept alley
to warm vents where lost souls meet
There's a party down on the corner,
through the window it's warm and bright
Reaching out from the darkness
a helping hand pulls me into the light
The Light inside me... The Light over me...
The Light that lifts my spirits high....

We got wine flowing from a barrel,
we got bread in most every hand
We got a taste of the good life,
reaping harvest from the land
You got saints dancing in the doorways,
you got spirits dancing in the halls
I hear drums beating out a rhythm,
I feel the bass and I'm dancing in the light
The Light inside me... The Light over me...
The Light that lifts my spirits high....

You know the darkness can get you down
You feel so low with no one around
But there's a spark in your bones,
give it a light your not alone
I feel the sun I feel the wind
I feel the light shining within
Open the door let the love flow through
Feel the light it's calling you

Lift our spirits Lift our spirits
Lift our spirts up to the light Lift our spirits Lift our spirits
Lift our spirts up to the light Oh the light ....Oh the light ....
Oh the light .... Let it shine

CIRCLE (1992)

When the seasons change we take a long look
at what we gave and the things we took
We thank our love and we thank our friends,
gather the strength, go out and do it again
And we gather... in a Circle

And we celebrate round and around and around
Round and around again
We celebrate round and around and around in a circle

Chances come and chances go,
so don't sit crying get on with the show
When people get together and share their plans and schemes
We put the power in motiion to live out our dreams
And we gather.....gather.....gather.....in a Circle

Circle is the globe we live upon....yeah
Circle is the notion....
that things come back after their gone... yeah yeah yeah yeah

So grab your partner and grab a friend
This is a beginning and it's also an end
Like a light in a tunnel opens up your eyes
There's a new day dawning so let the old one die
And let us gather... in a Circle

And we celebrate round and around and around
Round and around again
We celebrate round and around and around in a circle
And we celebrate round and around and around
Round and around again
We celebrate round and around and around in a circle

IF I WOKE UP TO A MIRACLE (1993)

If I woke up to a miracle she'd be here by my side
She'd be my friend she'd be my lover
She'd be the one to make me laugh and cry
A love so strong we would glow
If I woke up to a miracle

If I woke up to a miracle everybodied be free
They'd smile as they pass, relations would last,
everybody could be who they wanted to be
Discrimination and hate just wouldn't go
If I woke up to a miracle
Wake up... Wake up now...
Wake up... Well I wanna wake up to a miracle

If I woke up to a miracle the headlines would read good news
They're stopping the wars, signing treaties,
peace is breaking out in the Middle East too
The guns are silent and the people's bellys are full
If I woke up to a miracle
Wake up... Wake up now...
Wake up... Well I wanna wake up to a miracle

If I woke up to a miracle the planet would be in good hands
Species would thrive, in forests alive,
with harmony and respect for the land
We'd learn to live by the secrets of our soul
If I woke up to a miracle
Wake up... Wake up now...
Wake up... Well I wanna wake up to a miracle
Well I wanna wake up.... to a miracle

IT'D MAKE A GOOD MOVIE (1993)

Sometimes I like to head out, out on the open road
See what I can see, see what the headlights hold
Once I drove down to Baja, to hang out with the whales
And a fisherman named Pachico,
showed me humpbacks, head to tail

I fell for a girl down in Cabo, the sparks began to fly
But she was moving on even while she was standing still,
I just waved goodbye
I walked alone out on lovers beach,
where I saw a man nearly drown
But he turned out to be a good friend,
and we partied at his house in town

I thought it'd make a good movie
It'd make me a real fine picture show
We could show it down in Texas
Maybe down in Mexico

I met a young folksinger, she lived up on a hill
She could sing so loud and clear, I never would get my fill
We climbed the nearest mountain, slept out under the stars
But we drank too much and we got real cold,
and then we couldn't even find the car

We wandered into a wooded camp
and our spirits were restored
There were nineteen women retreating there
and they offered us an open door
Now I was the only male, I was the only dude
And when we hit that mess tent man
it was the sweetest rendevous

I thought it'd make a good movie
It'd make a real fine picture show
We could show it down in Texas
Maybe down to Mexico, In some little cantina,
I'd be drinking tequila, down in Mexico

You know I've done a little traveling down there,
from Mexico City to the middle of nowhere
Hitched a ride down to Taxco with gay man, he was fair
Ended up in Acapulco, where I met some real stoned out dudes
When the Fedaralies busted them
they were stuffing money in their shoes
I was playing harmonica... the Fedaralie blues

You know it'd make a good movie
It'd make a real fine picture show
We could show it down in Texas
Maybe down in Mexico, In some little cantina,
I'd be drinking tequila, down in Mexico,
we'll have a big screen show,
Down where the snow don't go,
down in Mexico, down in Mexico

NEW EARTH (1990)

Listen to the moan and the groan of the mountain
Listen to the fields growing
Listen to the waves and the tide of the ocean
Listen to the wind blowing
Listen for the change at the day's end
Listen to the night shaking
Listen to the signs in the land around you
Listen to what people are saying yeah

We're standing upon... New Earth... yeah...
We're standing upon... New Earth
Don't you know we're standing upon... New Earth
Find out what it's worth

Listen to the noise and the sounds that surround you
Listen to the music playing
Listen to the flow and the current around you
Listen to the fire burning
Listen to your blood and your bones
Listen to your heart beating
Listen to the inside and the outside
to the living and the dying yeah!

We're standing upon... New Earth... yeah...
We're standing upon... New Earth
Don't you know we're standing upon... New Earth
Find out what it's worth

Wash away the old and a new skin forms
Rising up! Rising up! To be reborn!

Listen to the chatter inside your head,
Listen to your mind racing
Listen to the souls crying out loud,
Tell me what they're saying
Listen to the voice that you know so well,
listen to your child yearning
Listen to the love deep in your heart
It's the force that keeps us moving!

We're standing upon... New Earth... yeah...
We're standing upon... New Earth
Don't you know we're standing upon... New Earth
Find out what it's worth (repeat)

GATES OF LOVE (1991)

Open up the gates of love and see what's there for you
Open up to the gift of life and see what it can do
Open up, maybe find some truth, see if there's a clue
Open up to see the lies captivating you

Time and time and time again
You'll find out who's your friend
Time and time and time again
When the gates of love open up for you

Shades of darkness, shades of hate, fear inside your mind
Keeping you from passing doors, better left behind
Cause when your blocked you go nowhere,
if you're full of hate and fear
And if your waiting for your time to come,
remember that it's here

Time and time and time again you'll find out who's your friend
Time and time and time again when the gates of love open for you

What you see's not everything, everything to know
The pieces of the puzzle lie, buried in the snow
Like dreams of flying through the trees,
with birds tangled in wire
Wild things we've know in time,
that went down in the fire

Time and time and time again
you'll find out who's your friend
Time and time and time again
when the gates of love open for you
When the gates... gates of love... gates of love open...
They're gonna open for you...you...you (repeat)

IT'S NOT ALWAYS GONNA BE THIS WAY (1992)

Sky's grown black now, winds come up high,
oceans of thoughts cross my mind
Moments of love pass, lonely days come,
new love waits on the horizon
There...a child and dog walk on the street
innocent souls stuck to their feet
A passerby sees a man in a window cry.... he says,

It's not always gonna be this way,
things are gonna change, no matter what
But if you want to take part and have your say,
you better take this change to heart

Dreaming sunshine on all my waking cares,
and each one's like a musical chair
Shooting baskets, shooting stars,
such a thrill then they're gone
But now, I turn my head, what do I see? a white bird flies
Lands in a tree, stares in my eyes, sings a song to me... she says

It's not always gonna be this way,
things are gonna change, no matter what
But if you want to take part and have your say,
you better take this change to heart,
Take this change to heart...

Now I see a rainbow, thats where I wanna go,
for the moment it's all I know
But as I get closer, rain's falling harder,
I don't know if I'll ever get there
Then I knock on your door, you let me in,
laughing alot, I take your hand
You look in my eyes, but do you see the man I am? you say...

It's not always gonna be this way,
things are gonna change, no matter what
But if you want to take part and have your say,
you better take this change to heart,
Take this change to heart...(t's not always gonna be this way) (repeat)

LOVE WON'T WAIT (1993)

There is a love chain
Dangling in the pouring rain
I gave it to a woman
but she was driving me insane
There is a bar stool
Sitting there being cool
Lonely in the heart
Playing the fool
Pour out your gut to you
What did she make you do?
What are you going through?
Playing the game It's a long road,
But it's a strong road,
It's the only road, so be ready...
got to be ready now!

The streets are filled with hustlers
They try to take you for what your worth
Make you a deal while they're hand's in your purse
I don't need no deal I've got so much already
Need a little love to hold me steady
But it's a long road, It's a strong road,
It's the only road, so be ready...
got to be ready now!

Come on love won't wait!
You got to move while it's freshin your mind
Oh yeah, the world won't wait,
come on, be ready for love this time

Ready for love, sweet love,
dream about love, scheme about love,
Hungry love, in the groove love, love from above....
It's the long road It's the strong road
It's the only road So be ready, got to be ready now

Come on, love won't wait!
You got to move while it's freshin your mind
Come on, the world won't wait,
the world needs love, world needs love right now!
Come on, love won't wait!
You got to move while it's there in your heart
Oh yeah, the world won't wait,
the world needs love, world needs love right now!
Give it to me, Give it to me, Give it to me

WHAT DO I KNOW? (1993)

What do I know about suffering?
Compared to what my ancestors endured
What do I know about liberation?
All my life I've had an open door
What is this thing we call freedom?
To live a life an independent soul?
Who is connected to my story?
What are the things that I really need to know?

What my father told me
What my mother showed me
What my teachers said that I could be
Why my brother loves me
Why my sister loves me
Why my people are so proud to be free

What do I know about religion?
Stories passed down from books of old
what do I know about these rituals?
The link between the stories and my soul
What can I say about the children?
Springtime that reminds us from where we came
Bringing so much joy and happiness?
Redemption from this world of pain

It's what my father told me
What my mother showed me
What my teachers said that I should see
Why my brother loves me
Why my sister loves me
Why my people are so proud to be free

What do I know about Passover?
The Exodus of the Jews
When there was no time for questions
Only time to act, choose or lose
What do I know about the holocaust?
By the time I was born they said, "Never again"
Though that's what they say about all wars
It was an emotional time well worth remembering

It's what my father told me
What my mother showed me
What my teachers said that I should see
It's why my brother loves me yeah!
Why my sister loves me yeah!
Why my people are so proud to be free...

This recording has been in process since City of Constant Rain bubbled up in the Spring of 1986. Special Thanks goes out to some of the people who have helped me keep it growing along the way:
David Andersen, Jean & Steve Boone, Rich Glauber, Jerry Leff, Ramona McCoy, Janice Medvin, Michael Rechel, Syd Skolsky, Mary & Charles Tobias, Barb & Tom Tobias, and Mike Warshafsky.

Dedicated to the memory of some inspirational people who have passed on...
John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Bob Marley, and John Lennon
Also in memory of a friend... Rebecca Shelquist

May this rain bring miracles to the earth and plant the seeds of peace and justice throughout.